Equipment for binding a skier to a water ski or skiboard

ABSTRACT

Equipment for binding a skier to a water ski or skiboard, including two boot assemblies, and a releasable binding assembly mounted onto the ski or skiboard in order to bind these boot assemblies. Each boot assembly includes at least one flexible foot holder which covers all or part of the foot, ankle, and lower end of the leg, a lockable rigid supporting structure (30) covering all or part of the foot holder and having at least one sole with a heel, a metatarsal strap, an instep strap, an upper and portions for engaging the releasable binding assembly each binding assembly including two releasable rear safety abutments and forming a self-contained assembly for each boot assembly.

This invention concerns equipment used for water skiing or skiboarding,in various forms; such as, ski jumping, speed skiing, slalom skiing,figure skiing; and most specifically, the equipment for binding a skierto a water ski or skiboard.

The conventional equipment for binding a skier to a water ski orskiboard is in the form of two straps on the skiboard into which theskier places each of his/her feet, in general without a particularlygood fit. This type of binding is inconvenient because it doesn't allowa rigid enough binding of the skier to the skiboard and in this waylimits the directional possibilities of the skiboard by the skier.

The conventional equipment for binding the skier to a skiboard or waterski in the form of a covering or casing, usually made of rubber, isfixed onto the ski into which the skier places his/her foot. It isimportant to have a good means of maintaining the casing or covering ofthe skier's foot, possibly a part of the ankle or the entire ankledoesn't allow for a precise clamping of the foot in the casing.Therefore, the skier's guidance of the skiboard or skis, which occurs bythe foot and possibly a part of the ankle or entire ankle, is relativelyimprecise due to the fact that the lower leg doesn't contribute inguiding the skiboard or skis and to the nature of the pliability of thecovering's rubber material. The lack of contribution from the lower legin the guidance of the skiboard or skis causes the skier to leanexcessively, especially while turning in order to guide the skiboard orskis. The pliability of the rubber holder/casing holding the foot in theskiboard or ski limits the ability of the skier to react to changes indirection on the water which could turn out to be ineffective for slalomskiing, for example. Likewise, this pliability could create poorguidance for speed skiing or figure skiing.

Previously, with U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,803, there was introduced a way ofreleasing from the feet from the binding on a water skiboard. The feetare each encased or enveloped by the foot holder and are placed onebehind the other on the ski. The foot holder in the rear is fixed ontothe ski with a toe piece which could be detached from its holdingposition. In this method of binding, the two feet are not independent.That is to say that the releasing of one foot, especially while falling,automatically brings about the release of the other foot from thebinding. This method of binding does not allow the binding of the rearleg, especially on its front part and leaves the back part free which isnecessary for certain types of water skiing. In addition, the shoeutilized in this previous invention only holds the foot and the ankle ofthe skier, which causes the inconveniences already cited in the exampleof the conventional water skiing equipment.

This invention remediates these aforementioned disadvantages. Moreprecisely, the invention calls for equipment which binds a skier to awater ski consisting of: a first and a second well-fitting andself-contained assembly which includes a first and a second pliableliner or slipper, each encasing a skier's foot; an ankle of the skierand skier's lower leg of the skier; and a second assembly with alockable rigid binding, each lockable rigid binding entirely lockingliner and each having at least a first sole equipped with a heel, ametatarsal strap on instep belt, a leg section with the aforesaid firstand second assemblies being laid out respectively one behind the othercharacterized in that the aforesaid binding equipment includes, a firstrear stop which is able to be released from its holding position and asecond rear stop releasable from its holding position. These first andsecond rear stops releasable from their holding positions are fixed onthe ski so that at the time of a fall, the skier can manage thesituation.

This feature offers the advantage of allowing the lower leg toparticipate in the guiding of the ski, by using the lower leg, whichcreates more possibilities of guiding the ski, especially in the moredifficult tight turns, and is good for slalom skiing or figure skiing.The sole of the heel, the metatarsal strap and the instep strapparticipate in the binding between the lower part of the leg and ski,which creates better precision in guiding the ski; the ensemble givingthe skier the ability to react with all parts of the lower part of theleg encased by the aforesaid structure in the boot; therefore obtaininga better distribution of forces, especially for accelerations,rectilinear movements while during centripetal turns.

The two releasable rear stops assure the transmission of forces betweenthe ski and the two rigid binding assemblies; this in case of a fallallows for the mechanical release of the rear stops which releases thebinding structures of the ski independently. A practical advantage ofthe independence of the rear stops is the fact that it allows the skierafter a fall to be able to engage the binding assembly without outsideassistance while in the water.

According to another feature of this invention, the aforesaid first andsecond releasable rear stops, detachable from the bindings, includemeans to put into place on a first and second rear parts, respectivelythe aforesaid first and second rigid lockable holding, the upper partfrom the first and from the second heel of the said skier in order tomake up the joining of the first and second self-contained structuresone behind the other.

This feature advantageously allows the jointed positioning of theself-contained assemblies one behind the other, and also the totalclearing of the space located directly behind the self-contained bodies,by the rear stop.

According to another feature, the equipment binding the skier to a waterski according to this invention includes a first front stop mounted ontothe ski, for an insertion wherein one cover is supported by another partin the front of the lockable assembly; the first stop surrounding thefirst cover in order to permit a jointed positioning of the first andsecond self-contained bodies one behind the other.

This feature allows one advantageously and essentially to clear thespace located directly in front of the self-contained structure,assuring rigid security for the assembly, in cooperation with thereleasable rear stop, and while allowing a jointed positioning of theself-contained assemblies one behind the other.

Other advantages and features will appear in the description found inthe appended drawings which illustrate an example of the utilization ofthe equipment binding a skier to a water ski according to thisembodiment, the example given in the title of the illustration andwithout restricting the scope of the patent.

FIG. 1 shows a front view of the self-contained assembly according tothis invention, including a lockable binding structure and which has apliable liner inside.

FIG. 2 shows a view of the independent means for the self-containedreleasable binding structure, mounted on the ski means including a frontsafety abutment and a back safety abutment which is detachable, used forcross country skiing.

FIG. 3 shows a front view of the assembly with respect to FIG. 1, fixedon the water ski by detachable and independent bindings according toFIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a front view of the two self-contained structures accordingto FIG. 1, placed one behind the other on a water ski by the detachableindependent bindings with respect to FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 shows the means of detaching the bindings according to FIG. 2,laid out on the skiboard, and taken from a view from above.

The self-contained assembly 3 shown in FIG. 1 includes a pliable liner31, which can cover a foot, an ankle, and lower leg of the skier, whoinserts his/her foot into the liner in a conventional manner, which isthen advantageously locked once the skier's foot has been inserted. Theliner 31 can be made up of a spongy material so that it is able to forma cavity or space saturated with water to a temperature similar to theskier's body, in a way to give some warmth.

The self-contained assembly 3 according to FIG. 1 includes bindings 30advantageously made of plastic material which can cover the flexibleliner 31, having a rigid sole 30 and a rigid heel 307, a lockablemetatarsal strap, an instep strap 306 also equally lockable, a rigidlower leg portion 302 also lockable, which has a joint 308 having anaxis of rotation equivalent to that defined by the ankle during forwardflexion. The two foot straps, the metatarsal one and the instep one,insure the support of the parts of feet involved and bold the sole andheel, in the liner in a way that is optimal for the foot on the ski. Thelower leg portion 302 which is jointed allows the skier to use his/herlower leg in a way so that it can help guide the ski, making it possibleto bend by means of a hinge or joint 308, movement which is especiallynecessary to maintain control of the skis in the case of big waves. Thetwo straps and the lower leg portion are equipped to be independent andreleasable, for example by regulating hooks or fasteners, like thoseshown in FIG. 1, with the goal of holding the liner and insuring theoptimal binding with the least possible interference between the lowerpart of the lower assembly and the ski.

The binding assembly 30, shown in FIG. 1, also includes means forcooperating with the means of the releasable binding assembly shown inFIG. 2. A front part 303 of the binding 30 includes a cover 300 which isable to be inserted into the front strap 21. Once the self-containedassembly is inserted into the front stop, it is surrounded by the cover.Therefore, the space located directly in front of the self-containedassembly by the front stop is clear. A rear part 304 of the bindingassembly 30 includes a portion 309, advantageously above of the heel ofthe skier, suited to cooperate with the releasable stop 22 in order toeffect a strong binding as, the one shown in FIG. 3.

The binding means for the releasable binding of the self-containedassembly 3 shown in FIG. 2, comprise a front stop, made up with a strap21, fixed onto the ski for example, by a screw, immobilizing the frontpart 303 rigid binding assembly 30, by inserting it into the strap; anda rear safety stop 22 of the type used for the cross country skibindings, immobilizing the back part 304 of the rigid binding assembly,while supporting the strap 21 on the surface of the ski. In this way,the binding assembly 30 is bound strongly to the ski, like what is shownin FIG. 3, all while allowing a release of the bindings in case theskier falls, especially in case of a front fall; by the release of thefront stop, according to a process identical to the one already used forcross country skiing. It is important to note that the strap 21 can workwith light metallic materials or steel, covered at least partially by asheath in plastic material at the level of the contacting part of thestrap, especially in order to avoid a marking of the self-containedassembly.

As has already been noted, the strap 21 and the rear stop 22 are selfoperating in the binding of the assembly 3, which allows the linking toa monoski two independent assemblies 3, advantageously joined one behindthe other as shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 the two rear stop 22 areidentical, as are the two straps 21, in a way to insure theinterchangeability between the self-contained assemblies and thebindings. In this case, the housings 309 on the bindings are equallyidentical. In this way, a monoski equipped with the equipment from thisinvention can be used by a skier who is right or left handed.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, a skiboard 1 isequipped with releasable bindings shown in FIG. 4. The self-containedassembly (not shown) can be similar to the self-contained assembliesshown in FIG. 4.

The releasable securing means of binding include two straps 21 and tworeleasable rear safety stops 22 in order to connect them in anindependent way with respect to the two self-contained assemblies on theskiboard 1. Each self-contained assembly is advantageously linked to theskiboard as shown in FIG. 3.

The strap 21 and the rear stop 22 for each self-contained assembly arefixed on the skiboard 1 by an intermediate plate 23, which has the goalof allowing a possibility of modifying the angular orientation relativeto the longitudinal axes A1 and A2 of the self-contained assembliesbetween them, and a possibility of modifying the angular orientation ofthem with respect to the longitudinal axis A3 of the skiboard. Thesepossibilities of modifying the angular position of the self-containedassemblies allow the skis to be able to adapt the position of the feeton the skiboard before use, especially depending on the skier's bodytype or the preference for positions for the practice of the sport.

The strap 21 and the rear stop 22 advantageously fixed on the plate 23,and can be released by using a screw in order to allowinterchangeability of the parts. The plate 23 is fixed to the skiboard 1by the screw 24 which is placed in a circumferential way to allowdifferent angle positions of axes A1 and A2 with respect to axis A3,according to an angular step, for example 5 degrees.

The plate 23 can be in a circular shape and can be made of lightmetallic material or of rigid composite plastic.

It is important to note that the realization of the binding equipment ofthe skier to a skiboard or to a water ski according to this inventioncan occur using simple industrial application methods, which arecurrently more advantageous than those used in the production of sportsequipment, especially cross country skis or roller skates.

I claim:
 1. Equipment to enable a skier to engage in waterskiing on awater ski, said equipment comprising:a first and a second item offootwear placeable one behind the other on the ski; each item offootwear comprising:a flexible liner completely enveloping a skier'sfoot, ankle, and the lower portion of the skier's leg, and a rigid,lockable retaining structure completely enveloping said liner and havingat least one sole equipped with a heel and a rear section with a partabove said heel, a metatarsal strap, an instep strap, and a leg section,and a rear safety stop mountable on the water ski for releasably holdingthe skier on the ski, said releasable rear safety stop comprising meansfor engaging said part above said heel of said rear section, forabutting said rigid lockable retaining structure and for enabling thepositioning of the said first and second item of footwear, one behindthe other.
 2. Equipment according to claim 1 wherein each part of saidrear section above said heel of each of said rigid lockable retainingstructures comprise a rear section cooperating with said rear safetystop for releasably securing the foot to said equipment.
 3. Equipmentaccording to claim 1, said releasable rear safety stops of said items offootwear are identical in order to permit their interchangeabilitybetween said items of footwear.
 4. Equipment according to, claim 2,wherein said parts above said heel of said releasable rear safety stopsare identical to make them interchangeable in said items of footwear. 5.Equipment according to claim 1, each of said releasable rear safetystops are rear stops of the type used in cross country ski bindings. 6.Equipment according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said lockableretaining structures comprises a front section having a toe cover, andsaid equipment further comprises a front stop for going around said toecover for enabling an abutting positioning of said footwear o the ski.7. Equipment according to claim 6, wherein both of said lockableretaining structures comprise a front section having a toe cover, andsaid equipment comprises front stops for receiving and going around saidtoe covers.
 8. Equipment according to claim 7 wherein said front stopsare identical to make them interchangeable for cooperation with saidfirst and second items of footwear.
 9. Equipment enabling a skier toengage in skiboarding on a skiboard, said equipment comprising:a firstand second item of footwear, said first and second items of footwearbeing placeable on the said skiboard, along a first longitudinal axisand a second longitudinal axis, respectively, not parallel to a centrallongitudinal axis of the skiboard, each item of footwear comprising:aflexible liner enveloping the skier's foot, heel, and a lower part ofthe skier's leg, rigid lockable rigid structure completely envelopingsaid liner and having at least one sole equipped with a heel and a rearsection with a part above said heel, a metatarsal strap, an instepstrap, and a leg section; and a releasable rear safety stop mountable onthe said skiboard for releasably holding the skier on the skiboard, saidreleasable rear safety step comprising means for engaging said partabove said heel for abutting said rigid lockable retaining structure andfor releasing in response to a forward fall of the skier.